Support means for idler rollers



Nov. so, 1948. F. N. SMITH 2,455,100

SUPPORT MEANS FOR IDLER ROLLERS:

Filed Dec. 7, 1945 Patented Nov. 30, 1948 UNETED S TAT ES PATENT G F FICE SUPPORT MEANS FOR IDLE-R ROLLERS Franklin N. Smith, CedarRapids-Iowa Application December 7, 1945, .Serial No. 633,318

7 Glaims. 1

My invention relates to improvements in support means for idler-rollers.and more particularly to novel means for clamping troughing rollerfixtures to their supports, the primary object of the invention being toprovide means of this character which enable more efli-c-iently,quickly, and securely clamping such fixtures on their supports andremoving-the same therefrom.

Another important object of the invention is to provide clamping meansof the character indicated which act laterally upon the supports,whether of channel or of angle iron or other type, in either outward orinward directions, and at the same time substantially eliminateoverstressing or distorting the supports.

Qther import-ant objects and advantages of my invention will appear inthe following description and appended drawing, wherein illustrativeembodiments of the invention are set forth only as examples.

In-the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of an arrangement according tothe invention utilizing a channel type support frame with an angulatedtroughing roller, with the clamps acting laterally outwardly.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary left-hand end elevation of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical transverse sec tion taken on the line33 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of another arrangementaccording to the invention, with the clamps acting laterally inwardlyReferring in detail to the drawing, the numeral 5 generally designates atype of conveyor belt troughing roller such as disclosed in myco-pending application, filed December 7, 1945, Ser. No. 633,317,(Patent No. 2,e i48,6l6), for Bearing structure for conveyor rollers andthe like, involving a hexagonal nut 6 which is removably in serted in aconformingl shaped slot 1 in the upper end of the angulated portion 8 ofthe T-section stand 9 for quick removal and installation. The fiat baseH) of the stand 9 is designed to rest upon the horizontal support member1 I, with bolts l2 traversing the base iii and the web or flange l3 ofthe support member at opposite sides of the stand 9. The opposite end ofthe roller 5 may have any suitable means of removable support (notshown)capable of taking the thrust of the angulated roller.

'In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, thehorizontal support member H is an inverted channelwhich rests at itsends upon the laterally inturned flanges l4 and i5, respec tively, ofthe corresponding upright l 5 and I l, the said flanges having slantinglower surfaces, to cooperate with the related clamps l8 and i9,respectively.

The stationary hook-shaped clamp l9 has its shank 2i! welded orotherwise suitably secured to a spacer 2i secured to and between thesides of the channel support H near its lower edges, as indicated in theright hand portion of Figure 1 of the drawings, the crook 22 of theclamp reaching downwardly below the channel and around the flange l5.

At the left hand end of the channel H, the spread L-shaped clamp 18 hasa vertically arranged shank 23 terminating in the angul-ated foot 24which extends below the channel and engages under the slanting surfaceof the flange i l of the upright 1 8. The shank 23 is traversed by abolt 25 whose head abuts the inner side of the shank and whose bodyrests upon a spacer 26 secured to and between the sides of the channelll near their lower edges. The bolt '25 traverses also a plate 2?!abutting the end of the channel and against which the nut 28 is turnedin tightening the bolt. When the nut 28 is tightened the channel I l isforced in a right hand direction so that the right hand clamp l9 wedgeson the flange #5, while at the same time the left hand clamp H3 wedgeson the flange l4, thereby rigidly securing the channel I I to theconveyor frame uprights l6 and ii. It is obvious that simply looseningthe nut 28 permits easy and quick removal of the channel H from theseuprights. As indicated in Figural of the drawing the upright it may haveanother lateral- 1y inwardly directed slant face flange 2 9 on which maybe mounted-by means of the bolt fill, the upper and lower elements 3!and 32 of a bracket 33, whose vertical part 3 3 maybe slotted at 35 toremovably accommodate the hexagonal nut 5-G of a horizontal rollerEre-a, having suitable sup-port means (not shown) for its opposite end.

Referring now to the embodiment of my invention shown in Figure 4 of thedrawings, the frame uprights Iowa and lla having laterally outturnedflanges id -a and id-a, respectively, instead of the inturned flanges ofthe above described cmbodi-ment, and the under surfaces of these flangesare not angulated, but the outer edges of the flanges are slotted withangulated edges to cooperate with the clamps, as indicated at 3'5 and.31, respectively.

The stationary clamp l9.-.-a is hook-shaped with its shank eo-ahorizontal and secured upon the spacer ri l-11a securcdto the sides .ofthe channel, the spacer having on its inward end ;a depending extension40 in the form of a brace, to engage and support the inner side of theupright I'l--a to prevent distortion when the clamping pressure isexerted.

The adjustable clamp l8-a at the left hand end of the channel ll-a hasits vertical shank 23-a, on the bolt 25--a between the nut 2&c and theend of the channel from which it is outwardly spaced. The body of thebolt traverses a block 28 fixed in the channel, with the head of thebolt engaging the inner side of said block. An angle brace 39 in supportrelation to the channel ll-a, and the inner side of the upright l6-a isprovided to prevent :distortion thereof when the clamping pressure isapplied. It is obvious that tightening the nut 28-a will force thechannel H-a in a left hand direction, thereby forcibly engaging theright hand clamp IQ-a with the flange I a, while at the same time theclamp I8a forcibly engages the related flange i l-11, thereby securelyclamping the horizontal channel lil-a on the uprights. As in the case ofthe first described embodiment, the stands for the rollers are to bebolted to the channel I Ia; and the channel may be quickly removed fromthe uprights by loosening the nut 28-a sufficiently to permitdisengagement of the clamps from the flanges of the uprights with whichthey are engaged.

I claim:

1. In combination, a belt conveyor frame including a pair of uprightshaving lateral flanges at their upper ends, a horizontal memberextending between said uprights and resting upon said flanges, saidhorizontal member being arranged for the support of a troughing rolleror the like mounted thereon, transversely acting means engageable withsaid flanges for clamping said horizontal member on said uprights, saidclamping means comprising a stationary clamp fixed at one end of saidhorizontal member, a laterallyadjustable clamp mounted at the oppositeend of said horizontal member, and operating means for said adjustableclamp for moving said adjustable clamp in a direction to forcibly engagethe clamps with the corresponding flanges.

2. In combination, a belt conveyor frame including a pair of uprightshaving lateral flanges at their upper ends, a horizontal member extending between said uprights and resting upon said flanges, saidhorizontal member being arranged for the support of a troughing rolleror the like mounted thereon, transversely acting means engageable withsaid flanges for clamping said horizontal member on said uprights, saidflanges being laterally inturned toward each other, and saidtransversely acting means comprising ciamps for engaging the inner edgesof the said flanges, and operating means for moving at least one of theclamps in a laterally outward direction so as to forcibly engage theclamps with the said flanges.

3. In combination, a belt conveyor frame including a pair of uprightshaving lateral flanges at their upper ends, a horizontal'memberextending between said uprights and resting upon said flanges, saidhorizontal member being arranged for the support of a troughing rolleror the like mounted thereon, transversely acting means engageable withsaid flanges for clamping said horizontal member on said uprights, saidflanges being laterally outwardly directed away from each other, andsaid transversely acting means comprising clamps for engaging the outeredges of the said flanges, and operating means for moving at least oneof the clamps in a laterally inward direction so as to forcibly engagethe clamps with the flanges.

4. In combination, a belt conveyor frame including a pair of uprightshaving lateral flanges at their upper ends, a horizontal memberextending between said uprights and resting upon said flanges, saidhorizontal member being arranged for the support of a troughing rolleror the like mounted thereon, transversely acting means engageable withsaid flanges for clamping said horizontal member on said uprights, saidclamping means comprising a stationary clamp fixed at one end of saidhorizontal member, a laterally adjustable clamp mounted at the oppositeend of said horizontal member, and operating means for said adjustableclamp for moving said adjustable clamp in a direction to forcibly engagethe clamps with the corresponding flanges, said operating meanscomprising a bolt operatively connecting a portion on said horizontalmember and said adjustable clamp and a nut on the bolt threadable inopposite directions to tighten and loosen the clamps on the flanges ofthe uprights.

5. In combination, a belt conveyor frame including a pair of uprightshaving lateral flanges at their upper ends, a horizontal memberextending between said uprights and resting upon said flanges, saidhorizontal member being arranged for the support of a troughing rolleror the like mounted thereon, transversely acting means engageable withsaid flanges for clamping said horizontal member on said uprights-saidclamping means comprising a stationary clamp fixed at one end of saidhorizontal member, a laterally adjustable clamp mounted at the oppositeend of said horizontal member, and operating means for said adjustableclamp for moving said adjustable clamp in a direction to forcibly engagethe clamps with the corresponding flanges, said operating meanscomprising a bolt operatively connecting a portion on said horizontalmember and said adjustable clamp and a nut on the bolt threadable inopposite directions to tighten and loosen the clamps on the flanges ofthe uprights, said nut being threadable in the loosening directionsufiiciently to permit complete disengagement of the clamps from theflanges to permit free removal of said horizontal member from saidupright.

6. In combination, a belt conveyor frame including a pair of uprightshaving lateral flanges at their upper ends, a horizontal memberextending between said uprights and resting upon said flanges, saidhorizontal member being arranged for the support of a troughing rolleror the like mounted thereon, transversely acting means engageable withsaid flanges for clamping saidhorizontal member on said uprights, saidflanges being laterally inturned toward each other, and saidtransversely acting means comprising clamps for engaging the inner edgesof the said flanges, and operating means for moving at least one of theclamps in a laterally outward direction so as to forcibly engage theclamps with the said flanges, said operating means comprising a bolttraversing said one clamp with the head of the bolt abutting the inwardside of the clamp, an end portion on said horizontal member alsotraversed by said bolt, and a nut threaded on the bolt to engage thelaterally outward side of said portion on the horizontal member.

7. In combination, a belt conveyor frame including a pair of uprightshaving lateral flanges at their upper ends, a horizontal memberextending between said uprights and resting upon said flanges, saidhorizontal member being arranged for the support of a troughing rolleror the like mounted thereon, transversely acting means engageable withsaid flanges for clamping said horizontal member on said uprights, saidflanges being laterally outwardly directed away from each other, andsaid transversely acting means comprising clamps for engaging the outeredges of the said flanges, and operating means for moving at least oneof the clamps in a laterally inward direction so as to forcibly engagethe clamps with the flanges, said operating means comprising a bolttraversing said one clamp, a portion on the horizontal member alsotraversed by said bolt REFERENCES CITED The following references are ofrecord in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 754,335 McCabe Mar. 8, 19041,447,264 Phillips Mar. 6, 1923 1,692,832 Harrison Nov. 27, 1928

